- Mosi Tatupu
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Mosi Tatupu No. 30, 44 Special teamer / Fullback / Running back Personal information Date of birth: April 26, 1955 Place of birth: Pago Pago, American Samoa Date of death: February 23, 2010 (aged 54) Place of death: Attleboro, Massachusetts, U.S. Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Weight: 227 lb (103 kg) Career information NFL Draft: 1978 / Round: 8 / Pick: 216 Debuted in 1978 for the New England Patriots Last played in 1991 for the Los Angeles Rams Career history - New England Patriots (1978–1990)
- Los Angeles Rams (1991)
Career highlights and awards Mosiula Faasuka Tatupu (April 26, 1955 – February 23, 2010) was a National Football League special teamer and running back who during a fifteen year professional career played for the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. His tenure with the Patriots lasted from 1978 to 1990. He made the Pro Bowl in 1986.[1]
Contents
High school career
Tatupu was a standout player at Punahou School where he set many Hawaii state rushing records.[2] He graduated in 1974.[3][4]
College career
Tatupu attended the University of Southern California, playing in the 1978 Hula Bowl and finished his career with 223 rushing attempts for 1277 yards (5.73 yards per attempt avg.). The Mosi Tatupu Award, given annually to the College Football Special Teams Player of the Year by the Maui Quarterback Club and the Hula Bowl, bears his name.
NFL career
Drafted in 1978 by the New England Patriots (8th round, 215th overall), Tatupu played fullback and became an ace on special teams. He rushed the ball 612 times for 2,415 yards and 18 touchdowns; in the 1983 season he led the league with 5.5 rushing yards per attempt. He caught 96 passes for 843 yards and two touchdowns, against the Colts in 1981 and the Falcons in 1983. His season high for rushing yards came in 1983 with 578 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while in 1984 he set a personal best with 16 catches for 159 yards. In 1987 against the Raiders Tatupu threw a 15-yard touchdown to Tony Collins.
He was used mostly on special teams kick coverage. He did have seven kick returns for 56 yards in his career.
Later life
Tatupu was the head coach at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Former New England Patriots Center Pete Brock was one of his Assistant Coaches.
Tatupu was most recently the running-backs coach at NCAA Division III school Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts, a program previously led by former New England Patriot Steve Nelson.
Tatupu died in Plainville, Massachusetts[5][6] on February 23, 2010.[7][8]
Family
His son Lofa Tatupu played linebacker for the University of Southern California and middle linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks (along with Matt Hasselbeck, the son of Mosi's former teammate Don Hasselbeck). [1]
In pop culture
In The Simpsons episode Treehouse of Horror III Mosi Tatupu's name is used during the "King Homer" segment. This segment is a parody of the 1933 film King Kong. During this segment, the character of the chief of Ape Island is shown to say "Mosi Tatupu, Mosi Tatupu", which in their language means "the blue-haired woman will make a fine sacrifice". The blue-haired woman is Marge Simpson who is playing Fay Wray to Homer's King Kong. One of the most popular players to play for the New England Patriots, Tatupu even had his own section of fans at Foxboro Stadium, "Mosi's Mooses," who all adorned moose heads and continually chanted his name throughout every game he played at home.
References
- ^ Obituary New York Times, February 25, 2010.
- ^ Tatupu's Punahou O-Men Hall of Fame Induction Citation
- ^ Classmates remember Mosi Tatupu
- ^ A Bittersweet Class Reunion: Celebrating the Life of Mosi Tatupu
- ^ Ted Miller (2010-02-24). "USC great Tatupu dies". ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/blog/pac10/post/_/id/8252/usc-great-tatupu-dies. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
- ^ "Mosi Tatupu dead at 54". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. February 23, 2010. http://www.starbulletin.com/news/bulletin/85178292.html. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- ^ Pepin, Matt (February 24, 2010). "Patriots mourn passing of Mosi Tatupu". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2010/02/mosi_tatupu_die.html.
- ^ "Mosi Tatupu, Patriots fan favorite and father of Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu, dies". Los Angeles Times. 2010-02-24. http://www.latimes.com/sports/football/nfl/wire/sns-ap-fbn-obit-tatupu,0,666181.story. Retrieved 2010-02-24.[dead link]
Notes
- ^ "Super Bowl Dream Passes From the Father to the Son" from The New York Times. Accessed January 26, 2006.
External links
- Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame Profile
- Pro Football Reference Profile
- NFL.com Profile
- Tecmo Super Bowl Player Profile
USC Trojans Football 1974 UPI National Champions Bill Bain | Ricky Bell | Anthony Davis | Pat Haden | Gary Jeter | Chris Limahelu | Clay Matthews | Bob McCaffrey | John McKay, Jr.
Charlie Phillips | Marvin Powell | Danny Reece | Mosi Tatupu | Dennis Thurman | Richard Wood
Head Coach John McKay
Coaches Wayne Fontes | Raymond George | John Robinson | Bruce SnyderNew England Patriots All-1970s Team Offense: Grogan (QB) • Cunningham (RB) • Johnson (RB) • Morgan (WR) • Vataha (WR) • Francis (TE) • Gray (T) • Neville (T) • Hannah (G) • S. Adams (G) • Lenkaitis (C)
Defense: J. Adams (DE) • McGee (DE) • Hamilton (NT) • Zabel (OLB) • King (OLB) • Nelson (ILB) • Hunt (ILB) • Clayborn (CB) • Haynes (CB) • Fox (S) • McCray (S)
Special Teams: Herron (Ret.) • Smith (PK) • Patrick (P) • Tatupu (ST)
Coach: FairbanksNew England Patriots All-1980s Team Offense: Grogan (QB) • Collins (RB) • C. James (RB) • Fryar (WR) • Morgan (WR) • Dawson (TE) • Armstrong (T) • Holloway (T) • Hannah (G) • Wooten (G) • Brock (C)
Defense: Adams (DE) • Veris (DE) • Bishop (NT) • Tippett (OLB) • Blackmon (OLB) • Nelson (ILB) • Rembert (ILB) • Clayborn (CB) • Lippett (CB) • R. James (S) • Marion (S)
Special Teams: Fryar (Ret.) • Franklin (PK) • Camarillo (P) • Tatupu (ST)
Coach: BerryNew England Patriots 35th Anniversary Team (1994) Offense: Grogan (QB) • Nance (RB) • Cunningham (RB) • Morgan (WR) • Cappelletti (WR) • Francis (TE) • Armstrong (T) • Neville (T) • Hannah (G) • S. Adams (G) • Morris (C)
Defense: J. Adams (DE) • Eisenhauer (DE) • Antwine (DT) • J. Hunt (DT) • Tippett (LB) • Buoniconti (LB) • Nelson (LB) • S. Hunt (LB) • Haynes (CB) • Clayborn (CB) • Marion (S) • Hall (S)
Special Teams: Cappelletti (PK) • Camarillo (P) • Tatupu (ST)New England Patriots 50th Anniversary Team (2009) Offense: Brady (QB) • Nance (RB) • Cunningham (RB) • Morgan (WR) • Brown (WR) • Fryar (WR) • Coates (TE) • Armstrong (T) • Light (T) • Hannah (G) • Mankins (G) • Morris (C)
Defense: Adams (DE) • Seymour (DE) • Antwine (DT) • Wilfork (DT) • Tippett (OLB) • Vrabel (OLB) • Nelson (ILB) • Buoniconti (ILB) • Haynes (CB) • Law (CB) • Marion (S) • Harrison (S)
Special Teams: Faulk (Ret.) • Vinatieri (PK) • Camarillo (P) • Tatupu (ST)
Captains: Cappelletti (Offense) • Bruschi (Defense)
Coach: BelichickCategories:- 1955 births
- 2010 deaths
- American Conference Pro Bowl players
- American football running backs
- Los Angeles Rams players
- New England Patriots players
- Punahou School alumni
- University of Southern California alumni
- USC Trojans football players
- Players of American football from American Samoa
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